Starting Off Right

  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit Amen.  This is how we begin our prayers, with the Sign of the Cross.  Can you remember who taught you how to make the Sign of the Cross or have you ever had the privilege of teaching a small child how to make the Sign of the Cross?  If you get the chance, observe how a small child does it.  You may notice the child has very slow, exaggerated movements as he carefully tries to remember how to do it right.
  As the calendar days near the end of October and Halloween decorations are prevalent, my thoughts move towards it's true meaning- the holy eve before All Saints Day.  I was thinking about one saint in particular, St. Bernadette.  If you get a chance to read her life story, it would be time well spent.  St. Bernadette was blessed with eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes.  The first vision began with Mary showing Bernadette how to begin the Rosary with the Sign of the Cross. Bernadette was so touched by Mary's movements, that she spent the rest of her life imitating Mary.
  One of Bernadette's Sisters of Charity asked Bernadette, "What should one do to be sure to get to heaven?"
  Bernadette replied, "To make a proper Sign of the Cross is already a good start."
  I would like to suggest spending some time thinking about how you begin your prayers.  Spend the next week making the sign of the Cross as reverently as you can, and see if you notice a difference in your prayer life.  Holiness is all about small, loving gestures.  Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven."  Perhaps, like small children, we should still very slowly, with exaggerated movement and a lot of thought, do our very best to make the Sign of the Cross.

-Susan